Finned evaporator



June'l 6, 1936- F. R. ERBACH FINNED EVAPORATOR Filed July 25, 1935Patented June 16, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FINNED EVAPORATORFred R. Erbach, Beloit, Wis., assignor to General RefrigerationCorporation, Beloit, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application July25,- 1935, Serial No. 32,995

6 Claims.

paratus is being installed, and of a size to suitthe particularrequirements of the installation.

The general object of the invention resides in the provision ofevaporator units of several standard sizes which can be secured togetherand connected by return bends to form a complete evaporator of thedesired size.

A more specific object is to provide individual standard size unitshaving flanged end fins with uniformly spaced bolt openings forreceiving securing bolts whereby the end fin of one unit can be readilysecured to the end fin of another unit, requiring only several returnbends to connect the coils of the several units and complete theevaporator.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention a plurality ofevaporator. units of different sizes are disclosed, each unit comprisinga finned coil having flanged end flns by which oneunit may be bolted toother units. The assembling of various standard size units in accordancewith the invention has been made possible by the comvmercial acceptanceof the sweat fitting as the tubes are joined to the return bends in thismanher to comprise the cooling coil of the unit. With this type offitting and'by bolting the end fins of the unit it is very easy toassemble directly at the installation any size of evaporator that may bedesired.

With these and other objects in view the invention may consist ofcertain novel features of construction and operation, as will be morefully described and particularly pointed out in the specification,drawing and claims appended hereto. I

In the drawing which illustrates an embodiment of the invention andwherein like reference characters are used to designate like partsFigure 1 is an elevational view, parts being shown in section, of anevaporator unit constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the smallest standard sized unit contemplatedby the invention and which is constructed similar to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view showing several units of the size of Figure 2bolted together and joined accoording to the invention;

Figure 4 is an .end view of the evaporator of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an end view showing a plurality of units of the size ofFigure 1' bolted together and connected in accordance with theinvention;

Figures 6 and 7 are views similar to Figures 4 and 5 but showing largerunits illustrating a further adaptation of the invention; 5

Figure 8 is an end view of the largest of the standard size unitscontemplated by the invention;

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view showing the manner of securing theend fin to the evaporator 10 tubes; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a flanged end Each of the evaporatorunits shown in the drawing is constructed similar to Figure 1, whichshows a unit consisting of four horizontal tubes I 0 of metal such ascopper or other heat conducting metal and which are spaced an equaldistance apart, forming the corners of a square. The tubes between theirends are provided with a plurality of fins [2 equally spaced and of anysuitable metal such as copper. The fins'materially add to the surface ofthe tubes and aid in the refrigeration of the air or other mediumbrought into contact with said tubes and fins. The fins are aperturedfor receiving the tubes l0 which have a tight fit on the tubes, thussecurely joining the fins to the tubes. In order to insure efiicientheat transfer from the tubes to the fins. the latter can be soldered inplace or the material of the openings in the fins can be bent outwardlyso as to have contact with the tubes and which additionally comprisespacing means therefor. The above described construction of fin does notform any part of the present invention and for a further and morecomplete understanding of the same reference is made te applicants priorPatent No. 1,998,664, dated April 23, 1935.

The plurality of tubes going to make up the unit of Figure 1 areprovided at each end with a fin 14 which is flanged along the sides,providing the portions iii. In accordance with the invention the flangesare formed with bolt openings I 8, the openings being preferably groupedin pairs with the spacing between pairs as well as the spacing betweenopenings of anypair being uniform in all the end fins of thediiferentisize evaporator units. The fin is also provided with aplurality of openings 20 in the body portion thereof for passage of thetubes I 0. The ends of each tube are formed with a portion 22 of largerdiameter than the tube for receiving a return bend 24. The return bendsare forced into the ends 22 of the tubes to connect certain tubesforming the tubes of each unit into a continuous coil. The

' connection between the bends and tubes can be loldered to insure agas-tight fitting and a com mercially acceptable joint. A return bend isalso .used to connect the coil of one unit with the coils 01' adjacentunits to comprise the complete evaporator.

The various units shown in Figures 2, 4, 6 and I 8 range from thesmallest size evaporator unit to thelargest size unit contemplated bythe invention but it is understood thatthe showing is .not

to be considered as limiting the invention since units of larger sizemay be constructed as well as units 0! asize intermediate those shown.In the smallest unit, Figure 2, indicated in its entirety by 28, onlytwo horizontal tubes are included, joined at one end by a.return bend.The unit of Figure 4, indicatedby numeral 30, is an end view of thatshown in Figure 1 and includes twice the number of tubes shown in Figure2.

The evaporator unit 32 shown in Figure 6 is still larger, including sixhorizontal tubes, while the largest unit 34 of Figure 8 consists offourteen horizontal tubes. The above described units are representativeoi. the standard size units from which the complete evaporator will beconstructed. In accordance with the invention the various units arestandardized as to length and as to size of the end flns, all of whichare provided with flange portions i6 having bolt openings 18 uniformlyspaced. When it is desired to construct a larger evaporator to suit therequirements of a particular installation any number of units can beconnected by securing the end fins ofadjacent units by means of bolts 26which are passed through the bolt openings 3. For example, the assembledevaporator shown in Figure 3 consists of two of the units 28 of thestandardized size shown in Figure 2, while the evaporator of Figure 5 isformed by securing together three units 30 such as shown in Figure 4.

It is also within the present invention to assemble several standardunits of different size which is illustrated. for example, in theevaporator 01 Figure '7. This consists in joining two of the units 32and one unit 30 of the next smaller size. An assembly of this type ispossible since the spacing of the tubes in each standard unit is thesame so that the coil oi! one unit can be joined to the coil of anadjacent unit by a return bend 24 since the bolt openings l8 areuniform, permitting the end fins to be secured together.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details oi. construction ofthe particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawing, as variousother forms or the device will of course be apparent to those skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit of the inventionor the scopeof the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An evaporator comprising a plurality of small cooling units, eachunit consistingoi! a coil having flanged end fins, and means joining theflanges of adjacent flns at the respective ends of the units.

2. An evaporator comprising a plurality of cooling units 01'standardized size, each unit consisting of a coil having flanged endfins, means joining the flanges of adjacent fins at the respective endsof the units, and connections joining the coils of adjacent units toform a continuous length of tubing.

3. An evaporator comprising a plurality of cooling units of standardizedsize, each unit consisting of a coil having end fins provided withflanges on the sides thereof, said flanges having openings, meanspassing through the openings for joining the flanges of adjacent fins atthe respective ends of the units, and connections joining the coils ofthe adjacent units to form a continuous length of tubing.

4. An evaporator unit comprising a plurality of finned tubes, returnbends connecting certain of the tubes at their ends to form a continuouslength of tubing, and flanges formed on the end fins at the respectiveends of the unit, whereby said units may be joined by joining theflanges of the end fins.

5. An evaporator unit comprising a plurality of finned tubes, returnbends connecting certain of the tubes at their ends to form a continuouslength of tubing, and flanges formed on the end fins at the respectiveends of the unit for joining the unit to other units, said evaporatorunit being standardized as to-length and as to size of end flns.

6. An evaporator unit comprising a plurality of finned tubes, returnbends connecting certain of the tubes at their ends to form a continuouslength of tubing, flanges formed on the sides of the end fins at therespective ends of the unit, said flanges having openings for receivingsecuring means whereby the end fins of adjacent units may be joined.

FRED R. ERBACH.

